Sometimes when you click on a link to a PDF, it comes up in the browser. Other times, the browser downloads the file. Everyone must wonder why, but few have wondered enough to find out. Here’s a quick explanation.
It has nothing to do with the PDF version, the content of the file, or the link. It’s the HTTP headers that make the difference. Specifically, a header called “Content-Disposition” is the determining factor. If it’s absent, the file will open in the browser. If it’s present, the value it specifies determines how you get the file.
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PDF/A-4
It looks as if I’ll have a little input into the upcoming PDF/A-4 standardization process; earlier this month I got an email from the 3D PDF Consortium inviting me to participate, and I responded affirmatively. While waiting for whatever happens next, I should figure out what PDF/A-4 is all about.
ISO has a placeholder for it, where it’s also called “PDF/A-NEXT.” There’s some substantive information on PDFlib. What’s interesting right at the start is that it will build on PDF/A-2, not PDF/A-3. A lot of people in the library and archiving communities thought A-3 jumped the shark when it allowed any kind of attachments without limitation. It’s impossible to establish a document’s archival suitability if it has opaque content.
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